Risen Demon (5e Race)

Risen Demon

Ability Score Increase: +2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma

Size: Medium

Speed: 30 feet

Taint of Evil: Risen demons are dogged by the taint of evil that marked their forms. Risen demons have the Fiend type, they are not humanoids. Spells and effects that target Fiends can target them. Spells and effects that specifically target Humanoids do not effect them. 

Darkvision: A lasting legacy of their infernal heritage, risen demons can see in dim light within 60 feet as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. Risen demons cannot can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of grey. 

Fiendish Familiarity: Risen Demons have advantage on attack rolls against Fiends. Risen demons are intimately familiar with the various types of fiends. This experience, combined with their hatred for such creatures, makes them more effective in battle against them. Furthermore, direct attacks (including spells) from a risen demon against a Fiend bypass any damage resistance, damage immunity, and cannot be regenerated. 

Knowledge of the Struggle: Risen Demons are proficient in Religion. They are intimately familiar with the Cosmic struggle between good and evil. 

Language: Infernal or Abyssal. 

Saboteur (Rogue Archetype)

So, me and some players discussed switching our game to 5e. Almost instantly, they realized their current characters were not particularly well represented in 5e and new stuff would be needed. I'm all for home-brew since if you are not making home-brew stuff, you are probably a fascist.

One player wanted to play a Rogue, but neither Thief nor Assassin really "fit". He wanted to use technology (traps, bombs, that sort of thing) to screw people up and wreck things. So, here's what we got:

Saboteur

Some rogues are just clever and like to tinker. Others take that to a whole new level. They learn the fine art of destruction. Skilled in the use of bombs, traps, and a keen understanding of just how little it takes to break something. A saboteur can detonate an entire wing of a castle, or remove that one really important part to bring down an Iron Golem. Never let a saboteur near your equipment...it will never work right again.

Analytic Eye: Saboteurs are good at looking at things and knowing how they work and how best to take them apart. Starting at 3rd level, you can use the bonus action granted by your cunning action to make an Intelligence check to disarm a trap, open a lock, or take the Use an Object action without the use of tools. 

My Tools are my Weapons: Being in the thick of things, a Saboteur has to think quick on their feet and regularly utilize tools such as wrenches, drills, and shovels as weaponry. A Saboteur is proficient in the use of bomb-making and trap-making tools. At 3rd level, a Saboteur is proficient at using tools as improvised weapons. 

Built-in Obsoleteness: At level 9, Saboteurs can take a Use an Object action to make an object fail. It's not entirely broken, it's just disabled in some way. Anyone who tries to use the object takes disadvantage doing so until it is repaired. The Saboteur can sabotage the object in such a way that it will not be immediately noticeable and not break for up to a day or until used in some specific way.

A Trap is a Trap: By 13th level, A saboteur has enough knowledge of how things work that they can improvise the use of items even when they are not intended for you. You ignore all class, race, and level requirements on the use of magic items.

Well, There's Your Problem: Starting at 17th level, you become a master of traps and causing things to critically fail. When a creature is surprised and hit by one of your traps, it must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 + your Intelligence modifier + your proficiency bonus). On a failed save, double the damage of your attack against the creature. Against constructs, you need only to attack and hit a surprised construct to force the Constitution saving throw.
 

---Big Thanks to Robert Goodrick for all his hard work on this (he did basically 90% of the work here).

Comparative Red Dragons

First, I love the relatively short 5e stat blocks for monsters. I'm gonna ignore most of the details though and just stick with something that is consistent in every edition and more or less works the same in each.

Here is the 3.5 Adult Red Dragons Ability scores:
Str: 33
Dex: 10
Con: 21
Int: 16
Wis: 19
Cha: 16

Here is the Adult Red Dragon in 4e:
Str: 25
Dex: 19
Con: 22
Int: 13
Wis: 16
Cha: 14

weaker, more nimble, about as tough, and not as bright or charming.

And here we have the 5e Adult Red Dragon:
Str: 27
Dex: 10
Con: 25
Int: 16
Wis: 13
Cha: 21

Little stronger than 4e, weaker than 3.5. Back to 3e nimbleness. Toughest of the three. Not as wise, but relatively smart. Considerably more charming (or more likely awful).

Here's the really interesting note:

Challenge ratings:
3.5: 15
4e: 15
5e: 17

It doesn't look like the dragon got much more powerful, it just seems to have gotten much more relatively powerful.

Mini-6 Marked & Eruption

I'm fluent in d20 rules. I can do that off the top of my head. D6 kinda depends on which version and I've never really got married to any version of D6 (except for Star Wars back in the day). If I run a game today I'd just use Mini-6. It's easy, the core rules are limited and free, and I can add to it on the fly fairly easily. There are few weak spots in the rules, but that is typical for any minimalist system.

BTW, Link here: Mini 6

So, how does marked and eruption work in Mini-6?

A baseline, normal, non-marked human will usually only get 8d for attributes and only 4d for skills. Marked get 12d for attributes and 7d for skills. Marked get access to perks, very few unmarked will ever have a perk and never an esoteric perk. Marked can use Hero Points, unmarked never do.

As you gain character points, you track the total the character has earned. Every time the character earns 10 character points, roll a percentile die (d100). The odds of eruption are equal to your total character points. Do the same thing with hero points, but separately.

If the roll indicates the character is about to erupt, the character can accept a -1d penalty to all future damage soak rolls. This allows the character to delay eruption until they earn another 10 character points or hero points.  You can only do this as many times as you have dice in Might.

If the character is about to erupt and cannot or will accept the penalty, they can delay eruption using character points or hero points. 1 character point delays eruption for 1 round. Hero points delay eruption for 10 rounds.

When a character erupts, everything within a radius in feet equal to the characters total character points takes damage equal to the characters total character points. Additionally, everything within a radius in feet equal to the characters hero point total takes damage equal to the characters hero point total.

Marked within the radius of the eruption who survive gain a hero point. These characters may roll 1d6 and gain that many character points. Unmarked in the radius who survive have a chance to gain a mark equal to the erupting character hero point total.

More on Eruption

So what happens when a character erupts? I mean, you know, other than they die?

Awesome. Awesome Happens.

Quite a bit. That's a ton of energy being let out all at once. Typically everything in the area is exposed to some sort of energy. In SRD terms, there are 5 kinds of energy (acid, cold, fire, electricity, or sonic). Choose one appropriate for the character or roll on this table.

1. Acid
2. Cold
3. Fire
4. Force
5. Electricity
6. Sonic

Everything in a radius equal to the character's level x5 feet takes the character's level in d6 of the chosen energy type. So, if it is a level 5 character, everything in 25 feet takes 5d6 damage of some kind.

Any PC who survives has a % chance equal to the erupting characters level to instantly gain a level. The class for this level is the same as the erupting character. If the erupting character has more than one class, choose one or roll randomly.

Any NPC who survives has a % chance of gaining a mark and a level in a PC class. Like the PC, this class must be one the erupting PC had levels in. Sentient monsters nearby are treated as NPCs for this purpose. Non-sentient monsters have a chance equal to the exploding PCs level to be awakened as per the Awaken spell. Unlike the normal version of the spell, the monster need not be a tree or animal and can affect any non-sentient monster, including undead, constructs, oozes, or other normally mindless monsters.

Regardless if they gain a level, marked characters have access to any of the erupted characters class abilities (including any prepared spells) for a number of rounds equal to the erupted characters level.

--------------------------

That's all in 3e/SRD terms. I'm not sure what happens in d6 terms yet. I'll post that here if I get around to it.

Campaign Idea: "In The End..."

This is the story of how your character dies. Nothing you can do will change the fact that your character be dead when the game is over, maybe well before then. Your character knows this undeniable fact. This means that what you do with your character is more important than any other character you've ever played.

Every character discovers a strange mark on their bodies. Usually on the chest over the heart, sometimes on a hand, arm, head, or back. Some marks are 'common' and shared by more than one person. Others are unique.

Those who have the marks have access to power unknown to others of their species. They can do things others can only dream of doing. In D&D game terms, they can take PC classes while others are limited to NPC classes.

Nobody knows why some people gain marks. Some are born with them, others do not receive the mark until late in life. Many blame a long forgotten and immortal heritage. They call the marked Scions, Kin, or Brood. Others believe the marked are cursed or mutated. Nobody really knows.

Whatever the reason, all the marked are doomed the moment the mark appears. Many say they can feel the power burning them up from the inside. They say no physical body was ever intended to channel the power of the marks. Eventually, the power consumes them entirely.

In D&D game terms, every time the character takes new PC level, roll a 1d20. If the roll is less than or equal to the new level, the power has exceeded their ability to contain it. It's called eruption, and it will kill the character. The next time the character uses any PC class ability (rage, spells, wildshape, any bonus feat that requires activation of some kind) they erupt and die in an explosion of power.

The player can avoid this if they accept a -1 Constitution ability drain. This is permanent, but allows full use of all class abilities until the character levels again. Furthermore, they next time the level, the 1d20 roll suffers a -1. If the character's Constitution ever reaches 0, they erupt and die.

If the character is about to erupt, the player can delay eruption by suffering -1 hp per round. When the character's hit points reach 0, they erupt and die.

If they roll above the new level, they contain the power successfully until the next level.

Of greater concern than being ripped apart by the power inside them is the monsters that hunt them. Most monsters seek out the marked. Some consume the marked character to enhance their own power. Demons and Devils require the marked to improve their own power. Angels and archons seek out the marked, although that relationship is less well understood. Undead typically hunt, fear, or worship the marked. Legends say the Tarrasque only awakens when there are too many marked in the world and it exists to keep their numbers in check.

But, your character is going to die. Either doing something heroic, villainous, or an explosion of uncontrolled power.

also an option. 

Star Wars: Aliens, Archon

Protoss Archon

Attribute Dice: 6d

DEXTERITY: Combined rating of both templar, usually 4d+2/8d+2

KNOWLEDGE: Combined rating of both templar, usually 4d/8d

MECHANICAL: Combined rating of both templar, usually 4d/8d

PERCEPTION: Combined rating of both templar, usually 4d/8d

STRENGTH: Combined rating of both templar, usually 5d+1/9d+1

TECHNICAL: Combined rating of both templar, usually 4d+2/8d+2

Special Abilities:

Khala: The Khala skill of the Archon is equal to the combined value of the two templar that formed the Archon. This is typically at least 6d, and often much higher. 

Shield: The Archon is covered in a Force-based shield that provides armor (energy or physical) equal to the Archon's Khala skill (which is the combined value of both templar that form the Archon). 

Shock wave: The Archon can create a shockwave of Force energy that does the Archon's Khala skill in damage to anyone within 10 meters. 

Story Factors: 

Rage: Archons are rage made manifest and feared by all. 

Move: 10/12

Size: 1.5 to 2.0 meters

The first archon(s) were created unexpectedly and their formation was soon legally sanctioned by Khala.

The creation of an archon is a serious affair for it requires the reluctant sacrifice of valuable Templars for a short-term gain. Archons radiate energy like stars and burn out when depleted. The merging results in the abandonment of the physical form and the loss of self, but those who do so are bequeathed great honor and a place in the templar archives.

The loss of most of the Force powers of the two merging templar is more than compensated for by the archon's formidable Force gestalt. Archons can independently erect a resilient shield and direct psionic shockwaves. Emotionally, archons are manifestations of pure rage, though this may be "twisted" should the merging be in error. Archons are much feared by their enemies.

Originally, archons were formed through the merging of two high templar. After the Brood War and the reunification of the protoss, archons can now also be created by merging two Dark Templar or even a Khalai and Nerazim merging together.